#VeteranOfTheDay Navy Corpsman Gary Norman Young

Gary was killed in action in Vietnam, two months before his daughter was born, never knowing he was to have a child.

His daughter, Stephanie, was adopted at birth. It wasn’t until she was 26-years-old that she set forth to discover her birth parents.

Stephanie’s research led her to her father’s identity, as well as his legacy.

Gary and his crew members went down during a medevac mission. On February 7, 1969, in the Arizona Territory near An Hoa, his helicopter was approaching a rice paddy to evacuate a wounded Marine. The aircraft was shot down by the enemy and six of the seven crew members lost their lives.

Do you want to light up the face of a special Veteran? Have you been wondering how to tell your Veteran they are special to you? You’re in luck! VA’s #VeteranOfTheDay social media feature is an opportunity to highlight your Veteran and his/her service..

It’s easy to nominate a Veteran. All it takes is an email to newmedia@va.gov with as much of the information as you can put together with some good photos. Visit our blog post about nominating for how to create the best submission.

Author

Timothy Lawson

Timothy Lawson has been a member of VA’s Digital Media Engagement team since April 2016 and is the host of VA’s official podcast, Borne the Battle. He graduated from American University’s School of Communications in 2016 with a degree in Broadcast Journalism. Tim is a Marine Corps Veteran having served as a Marine Security Guard posted at embassies in Algeria, Russia, and Peru.

Comments

Gary Young and I were in boot camp together, and kept in touch until he was assigned to a Marine Unit and I was assigned to Submarine School.

He was a grand guy—the kind of young man people hope their kids become. I have talked with his daughter Stephanie, and shared how much Gary was respected by his peers.

He and millions of other U.S. Veterans have bought me the opportunity to reminisce quietly, before dawn on Memorial Day, 47 years after his death, in a still free land—and very grateful to be American.

In this predawn quiet I find that I am reminded of Thomas Jefferson’s writings, in which Jefferson proclaimed, ” “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.” Today American patriots are still sacrificing their lives in opposition to a more current crop of despots and tyrants.—but despots and tyrants, none-the-less.

In that remembrance of Gary Young and many others, who sacrificed so we can find our way to all The Almighty intended for us to be in America; I am experiencing a profound sense of gratitude and awe.

May The Almighty rest their souls, hallow their memories and bless America.